50 WOMEN TO WATCH APPLICANT PROCESS AND CRITERIA.

Nominations for 50 Women to Watch opened on March 8, 2023, and closed on April 30, 2023.

50 Women to Watch list is designed to identify and recognize outstanding women professionals who have yet to serve on public company boards but possess the necessary skills and experience to do so.

Eligible nominees were limited to women professionals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The list aims to highlight women who possess the necessary skills and experience to serve on public company boards but have not yet done so. Finalists were required to confirm that they do not currently serve on a publicly traded company board and understand that service on a non-profit or private board is permitted but not necessary for consideration.

In May, after the nomination period closed, the 50/50 Women on Boards team meticulously reviewed each application to ensure all the required fields were completed, including the nominee’s first and last name, email address, country, professional expertise, current board experience, and leadership experience. Additionally, nominees were required to submit a CV/resume, headshot, video, and two references. Before submitting their application, all nominees were given the opportunity to review their entry and asked to agree to the Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy.

The selection committee thoroughly evaluated a subset of nominations, scoring each applicant’s qualifications and discussing outcomes to ensure a rigorous and fair selection process. After due diligence, the committee identified and agreed upon the top 50 finalists.

Methodology.

The selection process for the “50 Women to Watch for Boards” program was designed to identify the most qualified and accomplished women for board service. To achieve this goal, we used a rigorous and comprehensive scoring system that evaluated each nominee’s expertise, experience, and overall suitability for board positions.

The scoring system assigned 49% of the score to expertise and experience, ensuring that candidates with proven track records of success in their respective fields were recognized. The remaining 51% was based on a thorough assessment of written responses, resume, video submission, references, and an overall score.

Each nomination was reviewed and scored on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10, with 1 representing the lowest and 5 or 10 being the highest score. To prevent any one area from dominating the overall score, no category was allowed to exceed a score of 15.

The Selection Committee also considered other factors, such as diversity of experience across industries or sectors, roles, race and ethnicity, and location, to ensure a diverse slate of candidates. They also assessed each candidate’s overall experience on a scale of 1-20.

After each nomination was scored, the total score was calculated for each nominee. The 50 nominees with the highest total scores were selected as the top and final candidates. This scoring methodology ensured that only the most qualified and accomplished women were selected for the program, and we are proud to have identified a diverse group of exceptional candidates.